Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-07-23
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A NEBRASKAN IN RUSSIA.
Abr. Thiesen's Experience in the Land
OF the Gear.

Abr. Thiesen's Experience in the Land
of the Gear.
Fairbury (Neb.) Gazette: Abr. Thiesen,
whose return we noticed last week, had
an eventful experience in Russia, and
has no desire to again enter the realms
of the czar. He left here in May OF last
year and had been absentabout fourteen
months. He went at the earnest solIci-
tatIon OF the Mennonite society in SOUTH
ern Russia TO help them obtain posses-
sion of lands out OF which they had
been defrRuded and to- look after his
own lands there which he had been
obliged to abandon. 1t seems that for
half century and more prior to 1869
the Mennonite colony in Russia occu-
pied lands belongs to the government,
held in large tracts through lease by
wealthy landlords who paid the gov
eminent but q few cents per acre. They
sub.let it to the Mennonites OF 81 to
$40 per acre. In the year 1869 the
czar issued an ukase giving 90,0G0 acres
of these lands to the Mennonites
who had none. The officers charged
with the distribution, however, were in
league with the wealthy landlords and
kept back Be. 600 acres. In 1870 Thiessen
was selected to go to st. Petersburg and
endeavor to secure these lands. The
RrssIan secretary Oh the interior sent
| officers to investigate the matter but he
died pending the investigation and
Thiesen's mission came to nauRht.
After the latter returned home the land
lords, with their hired tools, the local
| officers conspired to get rid of him,
managing to get HIM sent to Siberia
where he was kept under surveillance
two years when be escaped and fisd to
TINS country.
When he arrived in Russia last year,
he went direct to st. Petersburg and IN
| voked the aid OF the United States Min.
lister Lathrop, in his attempt to secure
to the Mennonites their lands and to re-
cover his own, some 24o acres, which
were forfeited to the government when
he was exiled. Thjesen visited tue chief
| police OF the empire and had permission
endorsed on his passports to remain siz
months to settle his affairs. He then de.
manded on what charge he had been ex-
lied and the Russian officials, after
| thorough examination, informed him nc
charges were preferred aRsinst him, that
his name was not even on their books
After spending four months iii St. Peters.
burg in vain endeavors to recover his
property end secure the thousands with
held from the Mennonites he started for
the settlement Of the latter in south
ern Russia first arranging with Minister
Lathrop telegraph cypher for use II
necessary. Arriving at his old home hs
presented his passport to the locsI
police officer, one Kusmanka, who
informed him it was OF no account
as he had escaped from exile
and arrested him. Thissen telegraph
ed to Mr.. Lsthrop who in o shorl
time secured his release. On The
evening OF the same day he was rear
rested on telegram from the local gov.
ernor on the charge of being o nihiIist
end German spy. His passports
clothea, and sixty roubles in money were
taken from HIM, besides come American
farm machinery he had shipped
there from Chicago and on which he hat
paid a heavy duty. He has hendouffet
and placed in jail. The irons were soor
removed bnt for forty days he was KEEP
in six different Jails some OF then
hundreds OF miles apart, and all com.
munication with the outside world in
terdIcted. At the end of that time b.
was taken to Odessa anf
turned over TO the United State
!, consul. After day or two spen
, here he was again takan in charge By
, Russian official and placed on board O
a vessel bound Tor Constantinople. Ar
irving there without his passports, b
managed to borrow one from o felio,
! passenger and effect landing. He 500
left fer Berlin where he remained 81
weeks epdeayorinR to recover his pass
port and money, but not succeeding re
turned home. He will now endeaYor /
j obtain Justice from Rusaia through on
state department.